My BDM 160 Story (sa wakas!!!)

(WARNING: this post is really-really long!!!)

It was a day of reckoning. Redemption at it's finest. It was a hard-fought battle with a bittersweet ending. Those were few of the words that I used to describe the moment I crossed the finish line. Finally, after a year of waiting, I was able to complete a dreaded unfinished business that haunted me for a while. It was a triumph that I would never forget.

DNF

Tambalang Beep-Beep at kampuger

I wasn't able to complete my race last year. I was devastated because I knew I prepared well for it but Murphy really know how to spoil it. I experienced the worst type of cramps at km 69, vomiting for almost 10 km before I finally had the guts to quit at km 79.

Wasak na wasak!

 The culprit: I wasn't eating, I was bloated with water, gatorade, cola, etc. but I didn't have any solid food in my stomach. This caused my body to burn my fats as fuel but at a very rapid rate causing it to cramp and eventually, in the verge of collapsing. My face looked like it was zapped away with life (lubog!) and my eyes were really deep due to the rapid weight loss. I reported my case to BR and went to km 102 to say sorry to madam and BR. After that I decided to go home already as I'm really exhausted but when I woke up the following morning, I felt the deep regret on what I did and why the hell did I quit :(

The last picture before I got really wasted and DNF'ed :(

I vowed to do my revenge next year by being stronger and better. I will be more prepared and take the time to finish the race. But while waiting, I need to release my frustrations...

Ultracrazy

DNF can make you insane. Insane enough to register to every known ultra available in the calendar. I was so frustrated that I decided to release them in each ultra event last year. I did the following events:

2nd Tanay ultramarathon
2nd Mayon 360
1st Bohol Ultramarathon
Four lakes 100K trail ultra
50K Taklang Damulag Ultra
57K Nuvali Trail Run
50K Tacloban Ultra
60K Fort Magsaysay - Dingalan Ultra
57K CDO Dahilayan Ultra
50K Guimaras Ultra
50K Pinatubo Trail Ultra
1st West Coast 200 km multiday ultra
50-miler Clark-Miyamit Trail
80K Taklang Damulag
6 hour fat-ass loops

It still amazes me how my body can endure such punishment with an ultra almost every week. Though I have to admit that my goal of doing such feat was to train and learn how to do my races properly. From having support crews, doing it alone on longgggg trails and even running on self-support, I was able to survive. Those lessons are valuable as it fed me with info that I will use to prepare for my comeback run.

Despite that, I still succumbed in my attempt to complete the Miyamit 50-miler :( But that never made me quit my dream. I rested and consulted with BR on what I need to do to be stronger and be back on shape by January 26. He gave me a program which I called the Overhaul program which I detailed in one of my blog post. It did help a lot and I know physically, I was ready to do BDM 160 again.

Pre-race Preparations

I started my logistic preparation the week before the race. I assembled my support crew comprised of ultramarathoners who pledged their support for me months before the race:

My Crew! (From L-R: Jo-en, Mommy Eve, Manager JJ, Jestoni and Ariel)

1. Jestoni - pacer (I was supposed to finish with him last year same with what we did in BDM 102 last 2011)
2. Joen - driver (he was my driver/support during the 2012 BDM 102)
3. Ariel Aquino - driver/pacer (he wants to observe how I will survive a 100-miler as he will do BDM 102 in March)
4. Mommy Eve - support crew (I need someone who is very good with organizing my logistics and a female touch for my crew)
5. Manager JJ - support/driver beyond 102 and a relief to my tired crew during the night

Briefing (with the petchay boys)

I'm already set with my gears except my shoes were mauled by my dog. Luckily, Irene brought me a new pair which I used to break-in during the last fat-ass. Besides that, I didn't use anything new during the race (oh, I almost forgot about the TPPB singlet :D). All of my stuff were well tested before race day! :D

I did my grocery during the week and brought the hydration stuff (gatorade, water, buko juice) to avoid cramming. I even asked mommy Eve to do the grocery for the food and nutrition as I don't want to stress myself too much. I had fresh buko juice prepared from the market (I found it very effective during the last WC 200 as it helped in my fast recovery). Also bought a couple of gels and Fluid recovery drink for emergency purpose.

Supplies!!!

The only reason why I brought you Hulk!

I've booked our room in MC lodge. It is where we usually stay before any BDM races (it's located between km 7-8). This should give me ample time to get some sleep before the actual race but we all know how anxiety kicks hard during that time :))

We left Manila at around 5 pm and arrived at the Inn at around 8:30 pm. I was anxious as well because I get to see Irene for the first time since we became a couple! But I kept reminding myself that I have to rest because of the big race tomorrow. So I did say my hello and gave her some supplies before i went to my room and sleep (though anxiety at this point was so high that I had a hard time sleeping...)

To the starting line

2013 batch of BDM 160 participants (well some of us :D)

I wasn't able to get some good sleep so I decided to dress up as early as 2 am. I woke up my crew as well and asked them to prepare already as I don't want to be late at the gunstart. Before I left I checked if Irene was already awake and kissed her for good luck. I told her I'll wait for her at the starting line since she was still preparing :D.

At exactly 2:30 am, my crew were ready and we drove towards km 00. There were a number of support vehicles and runners there already when we arrived. I checked-in and had some short chit-chat with the other runners while waiting for gunstart. I also instructed my crew to leave 15 minutes before gunstart to get a good spot in km 7 else they will be stuck in traffic with the rest of the support vehicles. Right on the dot they left after taking some pictures and last instructions from me. Incidentally, that was also the time Irene arrived at the starting line and together we went to join the rest of the runners. A prayer, some final instructions then the national anthem before the RD sounded the horn at exactly 4 am... signifying the race had officially started!

Km 00-20

Breezing thru the first 2 km, I set my pace to 6:30 - 7:00 mpk max to conserve the much needed strength for the battle beyond 102. The cool temperature can really lure you to speed up but learning from my mistake before, I chose to maintain a relatively slow pace while watching runners passed me by. I applied the same and jogged/walked the km 3-7 steep part of the race (compared to last year where we were literally zooming the uphill). I religiously maintained the max 7:00 mpk pace thru the downhills and walked the uphills during the long rolling hilly section of this course. I had a chance to chat with some of my fellow runners to remove the boredom but I let them go ahead as I don't want to hinder them from their target pace.

This is somewhere km 18 (see those lights behind me, they are either some crazy runners or support vehicles :)))

Walked the uphills and ran the downhills, making sure that my quads will not get trashed before I reach km 102. I also monitored my heartrate to check if I'm going to fast; the faster the beat, the faster I might burn out. Thank God, I'm still on target. My crew also monitored my pacing as they knew I can easily get excited in every race that it ruins my plans early. So I decided to listen to them and ate whatever food they stuff in my mouth :))


Oh, I had a surprise at km 15 where my crew showed me a box full of paper stars. It came from Irene and her specific instructions were to open one star every 10K. Apparently, these stars contains random sweet messages and thoughts about our relationship... wow! it was really a morale booster! Though my crew always kid about it and screams "go go swagger boyfriend" or "his and hers". But seriously, that was a huge boost when I was already tired :))

Km 21-40

Tingaaaa!!!

Km 21 (I think)

This was the last stretch of rolling hills within the Bataan area. I was still feeling strong at this point, and carefully maintained a cruise pace of 7 mpk. I passed by Limay already and I was not used to seeing it in a busy day. A lot of people asked where we were going and I'm no longer surprised with their reaction whenever I gave my polite answer. I'm an eating machine, munching on sandwiches, eggs and boiled banana. I downed a gel already for emergency purpose and replenished my anti-fatigue capsule. So far so good.

Good morning RD! (still strong at this point)

Bunot muna bago kumain ng sandwich!

2nd star for the race :D

Taho!!!

When I reached km 32 (the last junction going to km 32), I took sometime to greet BR and check my condition. I'm still ok but I'm sleepy! I asked the team to prepare coffee on my next pit stop while I picked another star from the basket :D. I also bought some hot taho, the sugar rush from the caramel gave me a short burst of energy.

Started getting hot already (plus a callboy at my back)

Nanawagan po kami sa nakakakilala sa bangkay na natagpuan...

The sun started to punish us with the heat as early as 7:30 am! Man, it was hot! There is a cool breeze blowing but the cloudless skies amplified the heat. At this point, I wasn't able to finish my coffee since it was hot and my crew already applied towel dipped in the cooler. It was refreshing though I know the heat continued to rise as I left this pit stop.

Upon reaching Orion, I already started slowing down and walked my way towards the next pit stop. I knew if I ran this part, i'll be zapped and probably be wasted before I reach the 102 marker.

Km 41-60

The Jestoni Pictorials (monkey)

At this time, the sun was already high and I did a lot of brisk walk. My core temperature continued to rise so my crew still applied the cold towel while a drank a lot of fluid. I even drank gatorade with salt to replenish the sodium lost due to sweating!

I swear it was really hottttt!!!

My thoughts at this time was to continue moving forward and take enough rest in km 50. I feel exhausted already though I was able to jog a good distance while combining it with brisk walking. A few runner's has passed me by, I don't mind it as I stick to my plan. Finally, after 6:30 hours of running/walking, I reached the km 50 marker in Abucay

Finally some lunch!

With my personal band...

My crew parked the car at the gas station where it is shady and cooler. Since it's almost noon, the sun was at full blast already. A few runners had reached this point already; some of them were hurrying up and didn't bother to stop long to rest and eat. Me, on the otherhand, took my time to eat some lunch, rest my legs and change my shirt. I told Mommy Eve to put my TPPB singlet where it can dry as I'll be wearing it again towards the finish line.

My support crew at km 50

With the RD at km 50

I munched on adobo and ma-ling while I drank some coke. It was refreshing indeed (even if Jestoni is completely messing around with his bongo drums :))). I was checking also the other runners and saw a few made their way already. I was glad that Irene was pretty near as well, that was a relief :)). After I changed, refilled and refreshed, I continued my journey.

Mystical healing power from Jestoni

Pinalayas dahil makulit...

It was terribly hot. I thought of settling down the food in my tummy before I started running again but since the heat was unbearable, I switched to power walking. I had a chance catching up with a few runners before my next stop, asking their condition and how was the race so far. I think I caught up with Benj, CJ and Jigs at this point though they chose to run a bit to prevent from getting too bored with the route.

I asked my crew to stop every 3 km (instead of every 5). I was worried as well because at this point I can feel some twitches in my thigh which might result to cramping. So I drank a lot of gatorade and took some endurolytes as I notice my shorts have a lot of salt already (you can use it as dip for green mangoes)! That's how hot it was!

Km 61-80

Approaching km 61 (microwave sa initttt)

I was already anxious to see the national hi-way again. I continued walking and doing short jogs as I feel the possibility of my right leg to cramp up. I didn't want that to happen so I patiently walked to shake the cramping away.

Replenishing my sodium and water

Funny thing, I passed by a funeral march on my way out of Hermosa. Traffic was horrible :))

I reached km 69 (near Nissan Dinalupihan) at around 2:30 pm. It was starting to get cloudy thus the heat is slowly becoming bearable. But I know I'm still in trouble as the twitching was worsening (My short was full of salt!!!). I had to switch to my back-up plan and take more endurolytes while gulping my painkillers. I also asked Joen to prepare the Amino that JJ gave me the other night, I took it when I was at km 75.

Don Jestoni

Waiting at km 65 (for some petchay)

By some miracle, the twitching stopped! I felt good so I tried to run for a good 2 km. I feel sweat on my forehead again which means I was able to recover :D. Though I still have strength left, I didn't ran all the way because I'm still conserving energy. I was also reminiscing about my sad fate last year during this stretch where I was vomiting and cramping from my legs up. Thank God, I was still ok!

Sad sight at km 75

Pampaganang star!

And then I passed by my DNF marker. KM 79, the marker near the funeral home. I clearly remembered how I was delirious at this point, how painful my cramps were and how low my morale was. I shed a tear and look at the heavens, thanking the Lord again for letting me pass strong away from my waterloo. It was a good boost of morale and after a while, I met again with my crew at km 80. I told them to measure the stops based on the odometer because I knew the white markers are longer at this point.

KM 81-102

I still feel good at this point that I was able to jog towards the bridge going to Lubao. I paced with a runner here and told him to conserve, rest and never stop beyond km 102. I continued power walking towards the construction and jogged to the Caltex station at the junction. I believe I saw the Team Boring Pips here where they were supporting CJ. Fatigue was creeping at this point and I was getting cranky. It was past 5 km already and my crew was nowhere in sight!

I was cursing as hell already because I felt pain in my foot and my water bottle was empty. I was finally able to caught up with them at km post 85; cranked up because of stopping too far away from the agreed distance. I said I'm sorry, I was just tired before I sat down and ate some bread with ma-ling. There was an annoying guy at this point, begging for some food and coins. We already gave him some but he kept on annnoying us until I asked my crew to shove him off (normally I'm not like that but unfortunately, I was too tired to think). I picked another star (wow!) and off I go to the next pit stop.

Halo-halo break at Razon!!!

After being chased by a group of dogs, almost being mauled down by a jeep and squeezing thru the crowd in Guagua, I reached km 90 at around 6-630 pm. I sat down and told my crew that I was really sleepy (legs were still ok). I can also feel blisters forming in both feet, it was bothersome but I can still resist the pain. Papi Jet also psyched me up that I'm not tired nor sleepy while I gobble up my halo-halo! It was a nice treat after doing 90 km!

What the hell did you do to my car?!

I continued my walk towards km 95. I felt the burning sensation of "balisawsaw" and it was really uncomfortable. BoyP paced with me for a few 1-2 km until I told him to go ahead. I was becoming impatient at this point because of the combined fatigue and sleepiness thus at km 95, I sat for a while to regain my sanity. I drank a lot of buko juice to flush down the balisawsaw feeling :)) before I did my walk for the last 7 km

Last Star before going to km 102 :D

Fortunately, a group of runners passed by when I got up. Bong, Jigz and Merwin were power walking so I asked them if I can join so I won't get bored with the remaining few kms towards the old railway station. We vowed not to run or overtake anyone until km 102 which was known as "Pitpit-itlog" (papi's pacer group during the last TD 100 where whoever destroys the vow will have his eggs crushed at km 102). Wes joined us shortly at km 98 and together we were like a big gang walking on the road.

After 15:30 hours, we were able to reach km 102. JJ was already there waiting for me and told me that he left Jestoni some instructions that as soon as I checked-in, we will leave km 102 immediately (which we did). Jestoni was my first pacer and I told him I was tired and hungry (whinings). After I learned that we have to walk 1-2 km more before my scheduled rest, I cranked up but I had no choice.

Km 103-120

I reached the Shell station along McArthur Hi-way after 15-20 minutes. There I met with the rest of my crew where I sat to have my dinner, change my clothes and hoped for a few minutes of sleep. JJ asked my condition, I told him my legs and body are still ok, no pain but I was really sleepy. I also asked them to check the blisters under my feet which was slowly becoming irritating. Ariel taped my feet up to add further protection and I wore the socks that JJ lent me.

My crew preparing me up for the longgggg night run

I tried to catch some sleep but I was distracted by the passing cars and mosquitoes. Jestoni was holding on a yoga mat but I really can't get some sleep. We had a few stop-over along MacArthur highway, eating some hot noodles but still I can't sleep (10-30 minutes). I got fed up and told Jestoni that we should get going already as we will get nowhere if I still try to sleep so we continued walking and running towards Angeles city.

Somewhere out there (no sense of direction at this point)

JJ running up for some coffee?

I virtually have no idea how far are we or where we are because my GPS watches were already drained. I do remember stopping somewhere after the San Fernando fly-over to eat and try to catch some sleep. It was supposed to be 20 mins but again, sleep had eluded me again. Though I already ate some hot noodles at least to recover and warm my tummy.

I've set our next goal to be the Angeles City Arc. We had to traverse the dark and dangerous McArthur highway while keeping an eye on incoming traffic. It was crazy! There were times that tricycle appeared from our backs and we had to move away from the road. I had a chance to at least run a few km but I bonked out because of palpitation (blame it to the coffee). We just resumed our long walk toward Angeles before I succumbed to fatigue or boredom.

We arrived at the arc at around 11:00 pm. I still have no idea how far we were but I guess we were progressing. Again, I chose to take a seat here and try to catch some sleep but it is still to no avail :( We just decided to continue our journey towards the town proper of Angeles city.

Km 121-140

Angeles City was still alive even though it was practically late already. It has a very rich night life coupled with the gimikans and clubs along the highway. At this point, Ariel was my pacer already. Jestoni was already tired and I believe he needed to rest. We weaved thru the crowd of people, went away against some bar girls and did a few conversation to fight the sleep. We weren't running, we were brisk walking as I was still recovering.

I swear I don't know where are we at this point :))

It was a sign of relief when we reached the arc of Mabalacat. This means we are practically near the Bamban bridge which is at km 131. Ariel was keeping me busy with his stories so I was awake all the time. I tried to jog but I was really tired and getting impatient. I really want to reach the bridge and march my way to Capas.

After Mabalacat town proper, I rested before going to the bridge. I also asked about Irene because I know the route was already dangerous. I was glad to know that they were ok and safely walking in the San Fernando area.

It was around 2 am in the morning already  so I'm estimated my finish time. I can't think properly at this point :)) so I tried to sleep again. At last, I snoozed for around 10-15 minutes. It was so good and refreshing!

I also asked JJ to prepare my ACT concoction because I was really getting bored and I wanted to run. After eating a lone banana, JJ gave me the bottle. I sipped some of it and immediately felt a burst of energy! It was gooooddddd. I tried to jog and it felt nice, so without hesitation I ran with 5:00 mpk pace! It was really surprising because I swear I was already wasted before I took the juice. I think I left Ariel trailing by around 1 km and the support vehicle was closely monitoring my progress. It was around 2 km when I decided to slow down and wait for him (he was cursing me for what I did :))). At least we were near the bridge when I decided to walk again.

I asked Ariel to run because I don't want to lose our momentum. We ran as we cross the bridge and covered at least 1-2 km before slowing down for the support vehicle. I have no idea how far is Capas from Bamban so I thought it should be near. We sped up for a few more meters until I realized that the Capas Market is nowhere in sight. It was also re-confirmed when I saw the sign "Puregold Capas 6 km.". It was still farrrrrrrr!!!

Km 141-155

After seeing that @($*$(#$% sign, I decided to slow down and eventually brisk walking. I was disappointed because it was still far :(( The road was really dark and cold which made me more impatient. I was already cursing the route (P#*$(#*$ Mcdo yan, malayo pa ba?!) because I really wanted to finish. What calmed me down was the thought that I will finish this within cut-off and I don't want to sacrifice what I accomplished so far because of my arrogance.

After a while, I finally saw the "welcome to capas" sign. It boosted up my morale only to find out that the junction is at least 1.5 km away. My jogging attempt failed and still I walked through the market place. It was such a mental game at this point.

Then I saw the big Mcdo sign from afar. It was huge! I was so happy that I didn't notice I was already crying. Crying because I was still amazed on how I was able to survive 140++ km and still walking towards the finish line. Crying because finally I'm about to finish the longest race of my life! I crashed down to my seat when I arrived at the support vehicle. I tried to eat some sandwich and drink some gatorade but I still can't help myself from crying. I was really happy and I told my crew that we will finish this as soon as we can!

After that break, I started our long walk towards the Capas National Shrine. It was cold and dark again as we approach the town from the junction. Jestoni became my pacer again and we started to sing a few classic Rey Valera songs to entertain ourselves while we marched thru the darkness :))

As dawn approaches, I saw the field cover with fog! It was a strange sight as if they were planted dry ice  But what gave me more hope was when I saw the needle-like pylon from afar. We are finally approaching our last 10 km!

Finally, the shrine gate! Last 10 km!

I don't remember what I said to Otek here, but thanks pare!

We were greeted by Otek and a few more support crews as we move along the gates. It gave me a nice feeling because I'm 10 km away from finishing this darn race. But I still have to battle 5 km of uphills! I asked  Jestoni that we will take it slowly as I want to run the last 5 km. I want a strong finish.

It was a hard 5K. Fatigue was already creeping in plus the pain from the blisters is getting annoying. I was already counting km posts to distract me from the pain. I even told Jestoni my nga-nga moment where I can see the support vehicle at the turn-around point exactly 1 km away! (ang layyyooo!)

To The Finishline!!!

Turn-around point!

At the turn-around point, I sat down to rest for a while before I ate a banana and drank some water. I also wore my TPPB singlet again and my sahara cap. I downed the remaining ACT concoction and again, I felt the energy entering my system. One more star from the basket to perk me up and off we went towards the finishline.

I was so wasted here already!

One last star before the 5K sprint! :))

We had a very fast pace. I even asked Jestoni to increase our pace as I feel my legs were already lighter. He was also amazed that I can do a fast pace as if I did not do 155 km already. It was truly a miracle from heaven!!!

Nakaka-ngiti pa after 155 km :))

One last dash to the finishline!

And if it wasn't enough, I've heard that Irene was quite nearby. I asked each runner we've met on how far she is and they told me she was really close to us. At last, at km 116 I saw her still strong running with her pacer. I decided to approach her and plant her a kiss before speeding up again to our destination. It boosted my morale very very high :D

When we were near the gates, Jestoni mentioned that he will leave me already to enjoy the moment. I thanked him and from there I sped up as I saw the huge pylon in front of me. I was crying again, this time it was because of the sense of happiness. I felt a huge thorn lifted from my chest and a huge accomplishment as my legs roll like it was a race for my life. I wasn't tired nor in pain, I was just happy to see how my hard work has finally paid off, how the frustrations had disappeared and how my hunger for the buckle be fulfilled.

One last push!

Approaching the shrine gate!

At last, after running/walking/crawling for 27:55 hours, I finally crossed that damn finish line! I couldn't believe it and I was actually being teased by the crowd to cry. I did take a moment to savor the victory and looked blankly at the buckle. The sweetest revenge was finally done and over with! :D

Kaunti na lang!!!

Ayan na!!!

Man I was a cry-baby!

Moments...

Sa wakaaassss!!!

With one of my pacers, Jestoni!

I would like to thank my support crew: Joen, Mommy Eve and JJ for taking care of me and cheering me up thru the whole journey. My pacers: Jestoni and Ariel who never gave up on me and shared the last 58 km of the race. My Irene who was the greatest surprise and inspiration to finish the race (I love you!). My friends and supporters who believed in me and cheered me up all thru the race. And to the almighty God, who never abandoned me all throughout the race, protected me from harm and gave me the iron will to finish.

Sa wakas, natapos ko rin ang aking unang 100-miler na karera! Napaka-memorable niya talaga!

Congrats to all finishers of the 2013 BDM 100-miler race! Hope to see you again in future.

Credits to Tong Pascua, Paolo Navarette, Jobert Dela Victoria, Elaine Botabara and Che Bihag for the pictures

The Overhaul Program

After my DNF in CM 50 last November, I've decided to put myself into a different program focusing more on endurance rather than speed. I felt my body needs a different recipe to gain the much needed strength and condition for the upcoming redemption run this January. Sir Jovie (baldrunner) gave me a simple yet effective program which I followed religiously since the last week of November. The goal was to build my endurance again and practice a very safe pace that I will use for Ultras.

The program aims to distribute your pace within a race. I started it with a slow pace within a given period. Being time-based, I also monitored my heart rate thru my pulse using the manual method (put your index and middle finger at the side of your neck and check your pulse rate). If the beat is too fast, you have to slow down or else you increase the risk of getting burned up earlier in the run. This is something that I tried to change since I always start fast, covering as much distance as I can then eventually crashing down towards the end of the race.

Notice that all of the runs here are time-based. You'll notice that for each week of progression, your pace becomes faster which is good but for the time being, you won't need it just yet. Remember the key is even pacing! (with 1 km brisk walking when you're tired already). Put walk breaks during the long run.

Also the program will strengthen your core and legs with exercises of your choice. This is to give support to your body when you try to run longer distances. Strong finish for an ultra can't be done by pure leg power but by ensuring your core is strong enough to withstand the stress of the distance (unless your name is Wilnar which I believe is extremely gifted).

Note that most of the runs here are were done during the holidays thus I always started late (around 10 am). It gave me ample time to do some heat training as well!

Then don't forget to eat well and have a decent rest by sleeping at least 8 hours per day (which i'm still trying to learn). This will complete the program I have set for myself which was monitored by BR himself

Here's a copy of the program:

Week 1-3:
Day 1 - Rest day, 1.6 km easy run + core exercises (lunges, squats, crunches, push-ups)
Day 2 - 30 minute easy run
Day 3 - 5 x 1 km intervals (2 km warm-up, 2 km cool down)
Day 4 - 30 minute easy run
Day 5 - Rest day, 1.6 km easy run + core exercises (lunges, squats, crunches, push-ups)
Day 6 - 2-3 hours long run easy pace
Day 7 - 2-3 hours long run easy pace

Week 4-6

Day 1 - Rest day, 1.6 km easy run + tabata core exercises (lunges, squats, crunches, push-ups, mountain climber) (40 sec max rep + 20 sec rest x 5 reps)
Day 2 - 1 hour easy run
Day 3 - 5 x 1 km intervals (2 km warm-up, 2 km cool down)
Day 4 - 1 hour easy run
Day 1 - Rest day, 1.6 km easy run + tabata core exercises (lunges, squats, crunches, push-ups, mountain climber) (40 sec max rep + 20 sec rest x 5 reps)
Day 6 - 4-5 hours long run (easy pace)
Day 7 - 4-5 hours long run/race day (minimum of 21K at race pace)

Week 7-8 (race week)
Taper week (reduce reps, 30 minutes run and 1-2 hours weekend long runs)

Results:
I'm still to verify the complete results on the 26th of January. Again, it will not be just the training but the mental and nutrition aspect will be crucial as well. But so far, I had significant positive results over the course of 2 weeks: higher endurance in back to back long runs and faster time during races.

Again this is the program that I followed just to get back on track. The program also requires a lot of discipline especially if you're extremely busy. You need to squeeze it somewhere on your daily schedule to maximize the results.

 Feel free to modify it based on your training need. Special credit to Sir Jovie for sharing this formula and monitoring my progress :)

My 2012 in a nutshell :D

In a few more hours, 2012 will be finally over. For me, it was a very remarkable year filled with ups and downs, happiness and sadness, glories and failures but most of all important lessons that forged me into a better person. It will never hurt sharing some of the things which I think made my 2012 a year to remember!

1. My first ever Did Not Finish! (actually I have two this year) which haunted me till today. I have to succumbed to insufficient fuel that led to major cramps and rapid weight loss. I thank my team who supported and helped me recover. But it remains a pain that I need to get off really soon...

2. Triple week Ultras - 2012 is my year of the ultras. Coming from a massive failure last January, I vowed to get stronger and wiser for the next edition of the race. I did ultras for 3 consecutive weekend, pushing myself to the limits and showing the world that it can be done!

3. WC 200 km - if my stint as a 3-weekend crazy ultramarathoner is not insane enough, I did 3 consecutive ultra distances in 3 days! It was an adventure of the lifetime as I journeyed from Subic Bay, Zambales to Alaminos, Pangasinan. Beautiful scenery yet very painful adventure! I like!

4. Australia trip - went back to Adelaide for a two-week project while doing left and right LSD. Experienced late sunsets while running at the beach! It was surreal! :D

5. LuzViMin Ultra - well, I love trilogies so I conquered the 3 major islands doing an Ultramarathon in them! Luzon - Fort Magsaysay 60 km, Visayas - I shall Return 50 km and Mindanao - CDO/Dahilayan 57 km. It's really more fun in the Philippines

6. Secret trips - I've been exploring a lot of places here in the Philippines under stealth which revealed a lot of beauty and stories in each place. Sample: Coron was a majestic place to be :D

7. First Century Trail Ultra - Amazing experience set in the far but beautiful place of Kayapa where I conquered Ugo again and the punishing trail towards the Ambasa watershed. Frozen, tired, wasak, etc. are a few words which described the aftermath. I don't care, the running man medal is all worth it :D

8. Hulk - bought my new pet which will help me cross the finishline this January. Hindi siya pangporma, his sole purpose is to become my support vehicle in my addiction.

9. Investments - build your future and invest your money in things that will make it grow! Started a few ones this year :D

10. Wenner - My team won the epic relay championship (men and mixed categories) after 2 years. Sweet revenge!!! :D

My 2012 is not complete without the help of my friends and family who shared the year with me. I want to thank you all for being there despite all the odds and even beyond happiness :). I wish all of you the best in the upcoming new year! :))

On the stroke of midnight, this year will be coming to a close. The new year will reveal itself marking a clean slate in our lives. For me, I'm excited for 2013. It will be a year of opportunities and changes! (No peeking) :))

Happy new year everyone! Stay safe and I wish you all the best in 2013 :))

2013 Ultra Schedule: Sanity Check

Sa mga adik na ayaw paawat ang mga paa sa pagtahak ng mga WALKING DISTANCES, ito ang schedule ng mga events nek yir (2013).

Events po ito nina Papi Jonel, Atty. Jon at Sir BR (Ipon-ipon na!):

2013 LIST OF ULTRA/TRAIL EVENTS

JANUARY
5-6 Fat Ass, Clark Field
26-27 BDM 160

FEBRUARY
10 BDM 102 Test Run: From BDM Km 50 to BDM Km 102
22-24 Hardcore Hundred Miles Trail-Kayapa (details)

MARCH
2-3 5th Bataan Death March 102 Ultra Marathon Race
31 2nd Mount Ugo Trail Marathon/Half Marathon http://frontrunnermagph.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/2nd-mount-ugo-trail-marathonhalf-marathon/

APRIL
6 Mt Mayon 360 50-Mile Ultra Marathon Race
13-14 2nd Marcos-Kennon 50-Mile Ultra Run (Rosario, La Union)
28 3rd Labor Day Coast to Coast 65k Ultra, Cebu

MAY
1 5th Tagaytay To Nasugbu 50K Ultra Run (T2N)
4 Batanes 50 Miles/21k
10-11 Western Pangasinan 65K Ultra Marathon Race (Sual to Bolinao)
25 2013 Four Lakes 100k/Old Spanish Trail 60k (details)

JUNE
12 1st Mt Tirad Pass 50K Ultra Run
14-16 Santander to Bogo 226k (Solo/Team of 4), Cebu
30 3rd Valley Trail Challenge, NUVALI

JULY
13-14 1st Negros Occidental 50-Mile Run (San Carlos City To Bacolod City)

AUGUST
3 2nd Burgos To Pagudpud 50K Ultra Run (Ilocos Norte) or Fort Magsaysay 60K Ultra Run
17 2013 I Shall Return 50k, Tacloban
24-25 1st Bataan Six-Peak Ultra Challenge

SEPTEMBER
14-15 PAU National Championship 110K/50K Ultra Race (Guimaras)
28 3rd Warrior 50k, Cebu

OCTOBER
12-13 Mt Pinatubo 100K/50K Trail Challenge
26 2nd Rock and Road Trail Marathon, NUVALI

NOVEMBER
1-3 2nd WEST COAST 200K Multi-Day Stage Run & 1st WEST COAST 200 Endurance Run (Single Stage)
9-10 2013 H1-Cebu (details) & B50 (details)
17 6th Tagaytay To Nasugbu 50K Ultra Run (T2N)
24 3rd Clark-Miyamit 50 Miles/60K

DECEMBER
1 1st Mt Pulag 50K Challenge
14-15 3rd Taklang Damulag 100-Mile Endurance Run & 50-Mile Run

1st West Coast 200: Through Insanity and Miracles

West Coast 200 was a different breed of monster. It was a multi-day staged ultra that happened last Nov 1-4, 2012 from Remy Field, Subic to Hundred Islands, Lucap, Pangasinan. Out of 33 starters, only 29 crossed the finish line in this one of a kind race in the Philippines. It aims to replicate the multi-day adventure run done by Sir Jovie last year (the first time he was bitten by a dog) and shared the route with us ultra-addicts. How did I end up joining this @*#&#$%# fun run?!

THE BEGINNING

Everything started after BDM 160. I was still left thinking why the hell did I DNF'ed when Sir Jovie posted the invite for the event. Out of impulsiveness, I signed up and became the first runner to signify his intent in joining the maiden event. It took me at least 3 weeks to realize, what the HELL am I THINKING!? 200K, how the hell am I going to survive that. But alas, the dice has been rolled and I can't back-out anymore since I don't want to be labeled as a "Taklang Damulag". Then again, the thought haunted me for months!

One last run before the big day!

Training began as early as summer this year. I did B2B2B ultras to gain the necessary endurance for the race. I experimented with different formulas and techniques in surviving ultras; from doing it in self-support, introducing new supplements and post-race rituals. Heck, I even ventured into doing trail ultras to strengthen my core and quads! (if you can remember the Death by Ultra Summer and Rainy season series, this RACE is the reason why the hell I did those insane ordeals). But still I can't say I'm ready until raceday. Nobody knows if I'm really fit to do such a feat because of my disastrous experience in this year's BDM 160. Too late for that as race day was getting nearer everyday...

PRE-RACE

My battle plan was simple: 1. Get a decent support crew 2. Bring enough support food 3. Take it easy 4. Don't Panic. I was lucky enough to get Harry Duruin as my driver/support to help me in the race. I was not expecting anyone to join my support crew because the schedule was really messy as it conflicts with a National holiday. It was also his first time to support and I was so thankful on the patience and help that he provided all throughout.

We left Manila on October 31 early evening. We were not able to book any hotel because we arrived late in Subic. No choice but to sleep in the car and wait until the gunstart. We were feasted by mosquitoes plus the anxiety kicked-in early so I hardly got any sleep. I know it will be very difficult but the show must go on; we went to the starting line (Remy Field) at around 4 am to pick-up the bib and do our preparation.

I was surprised that there were 33 crazy ultrarunners who joined the event. It was nice to know that these guys and gals had set some of the time away from their family to join this maiden event. After prepping up we entered the field already and awaited for some final instructions from BR. At exactly 5:00 am, WC 200 had started!

The insane starters of the WC 200!

Day 1: Burn Baby Burn!

Day 1 covered Subic, Zambales to Botolan, Zambales (73 km). We exactly have 12 hours to complete the today's course which I thought was quite justifiable and attainable. The first part of this leg is quite familiar; it was the same route as the last 5 legs of the Epic Relay! 5 different people did that stretch till San Narciso and now it will only be a single-staged route for the WC addicts!

I know it was hilly on the first 3K as we left the gates of Subic. I tried to maintain a decent pace to conserve energy and still have the strength to continue on the succeeding legs. Harry was waiting for me at km 5 but I did not feel hungry nor thirsty yet because I brought along a Simple Hydration Bottle (ayan Tin may libre ka ng ads from me :))). So I signaled him to wait for me at km 10 and continue my run.

At km 15 after the support car issue

I was actually waiting for the support vehicle to go past me when I left him from the km 5 mark. 1 km...2 km... suddenly I became worried because the car didn't passed yet. I was surprised when one of the support crews told me the car wouldn't start. Damn! It still too early to get such a problem. I forgot to instruct him how to start the car properly. I rode the support car to go back to km 5 but luckily, I spotted my car passed us so I asked the driver to drop me off where I was picked up. That was a relief!

Back at the run, I sped up a little to talk to Harry and asked what happened. My hunch was correct that he didn't disarm the alarm before starting the engine. I've lost some time already but I'm determined to finish this so I sped up and try to catch up with the other runners.

I've maintain a good pace from km 5 to 35 with short stops to eat and drink from the support vehicle. I was able to catch up with Tin and TJ at around km 30. The sun was already up by that time and it was getting hotter. I switched to Galloway method (6:3) to conserve more energy while maintaining a good pace. I've maintained it until km 45 where the heat was really unbearable. No clouds, no rain and no wind... it spelled disaster for those who are not used to running under hot conditions. I found myself walking already as I don't want to suffer from a heatstroke.

At km 30, before the "banana" shot

Papi Jonel caught up with me during the long stretch of San Felipe. We chatted about the insanity, strategies and worries about the race. Papi was still strong as he continues to do a steady pace ahead of me. I tried to catch up but I don't want to burn up on day 1 so I just continued walking towards the next town.

Sobrang initttttt!!!

Harry already started doing the support every 3 km to survive the heat. I was getting bored with the usual food and drinks in the support car that I bought a few food along the way. I had some spanish bread and a bottle full of pineapple juice, refreshed my palate with the different flavor! At that point (i believe km 55), I felt something nasty on my left foot. So I just continued my power walk until we reach the boundary of Botolan.

Ubos na lakas! Dila na lang ang puhunan :))

On the last 5 km, the sea is already a spectacular view. I'm already tired of running and walking but the view distracted me. Upon reaching the Botolan bridge (soon to be jump-off point of Pinatubo 100 km next year), I started to gain some speed. I instructed Harry to go straight to the finish line already as I thought I can handle it from there. I ran the last 500 meters and finally, after 10 hours, 15 minutes of running I completed the first leg of the WC 200.

Last few kms before the finish line!

Landian sa Finish line (Day 1)

At the finish line, I sat down and had a short chat with the finishers and BR. I took my recovery drink and asked Harry to reserve the room already. We waited for Totoy to finish before we went our way to the hotel.

I also discovered I acquired a small blister on my left foot. uh-oh, this is bad. I still have 2 days left and this will make it more difficult...

We had our lunch/dinner at Inasal and went back to the hotel to catch some sleep. There is no time to socialize as we only have a few hours left before we start the 2nd day of hell!

DAY 2: Crossing the Borderline

We woke up at 3:40 am. #&$^%*$% nobody has set the alarm!!! Thank God I woke up at just the right time to prepare our stuff and start the race on time. We left the hotel at around 4:30 am, a few minutes after BR. I checked the blister under my foot, it's still a bit painful but bearable. I don't have a choice so I covered it up with leukoplast before wearing my shoes. It's too late to pop it out as it can spell disaster on that morning's run.

Upon arriving at the starting line, I had a chance to check with the other runners. Majority are still sleepy, some of them slept at the Poblacion in their tents. It was still dark when BR asked us to gather at the starting line to give his final instructions before gunstart. Before that, I would like to thank Judy for treating us with a superb lugaw! It was delicious and just enough to warm our stomach! Hindi makatarungan ang sarap! :D

Day 2: 32 na lang kami! :(

The route for that day was from Botolan, Zambales till Infanta, Pangasinan (71.5 km). BR described the route as full of uphells and downhells, rolling hills in between plus our friendly sun to fry us up. The cut-off was 14 hours so imagine how difficult the route was (weary runner + punishing course = wasak)?! But my goal is to finish earlier than the cut-off and enjoy a few hours of slack and rest.

The gun popped at 5 am and we were released from the starting line. I noticed that this time, the pace are slower compared to the 1st day. Probably everyone is still not recovered or are still weary from yesterday. I tried to pace with Alfie and Reynalynne for the first 20 km to cover as much as I can before the sun cook us up. Alas I can't do the same pacing as yesterday because as early as the 20th km, the route had hills already :(. No choice but to slow down and walk those darn uphells.

I caught up with Totoy at km 20 but I had to drop my pace at km 30. I noticed that I felt weak already! Plus the blister was painful at this point :(. The heat was not helping as well so I have to power walk and tried to survive until I reached the support vehicle.

Still strong at km 20!

Things turned from bad to worst because I was beginning to experience the same symptoms I had when I DNF'ed in BDM 160. I didn't want that to happen so I said to myself that I will have to rest and eat some solid food to recover in the next pit stop. And that's what I actually did.

With the Bigotilyong Aleman (walking the long uphill)

Alfie who ironically enjoyed the heat of the 2nd day!

Upon reaching km 35, I sat down and ask Harry to get the canned tuna paella and some softdrinks as I wanted to eat. Also Bob Castilla reached me while I was eating so I offered him some food and water before he left. I knew it will consume some of my time but I did the right thing. After that short stop, I felt refreshed so I continued my way to Candelaria, Zambales.

Harry Duruin, my reliable support/driver all throughout the race :D

Since it was really hot, I had a few stop overs to buy some halo-halo (I think I had 3). While resting and waiting, I talked to some of the locals and asked them about the place. They were surprised and called me insane for running from Botolan to Infanta. I just laughed at them and I knew that this is the same reaction I'll get when I told them my story (it was so hot that within 3 minutes, the ice in my halo-halo had melted already without even mixing it!)

Somewhere in km 45, near a burger joint

I was power-walking for 20 km to conserve strength and recover from the heat. As much as I wanted to run, I really can't as I still have one more day left in this epic race. I told that to Harry and he said he was getting bored! :)). I just tried to keep myself cool by dousing and pouring water all over my body to disperse the heat. I also felt my blister was getting bigger and another one has developed on the other foot :(

We've reached the town of Sta. Cruz at around 2 pm in the afternoon. I was already gaining my pace again but due to the trucks, I have to cut it off shortly. I had enough shares of trucks and motorist almost sideswiping me during the race! The distance for the km 63 pit-stop was too long and I saw Harry waiting for me in-front of a local videoke bar. He told me the legend of INPANTY (because of the old lady walking around in her undies) :)) and how near I am from the finish line. A few travelers (I think they came from Potipot) rolled down their windows and asked how long were we running. I told them "200K lang po" and I heard them curse and laugh before they left :))

At last, I've reached the Zambales-Pangasinan borderline. I really want to finish the leg so badly that I tried to ran and gain some speed when I saw the km 1 post. But it was wrong: I know that I have to pass a few more landmarks before the finishline. And what's more disappointing, there is another KM 1 post!!! Man, I'm so screwed so I gave up and continue power walking until I reached the cemetary. When I verified that the finish line is indeed really near, I jogged and ran; finally, after 11:23 hours I finished the 2nd leg of WC 200.

At the finish line, we've waited for CJ to arrive and compared notes with the rest of the finishers. They too found it difficult; with the route profile and hot weather. I took my recovery drink and removed my shoes to check on my blisters. They were BIG and PAINFUL so I planned to pop them out once we were at the hotel. CJ arrived already and after he recovered, we informed BR that we were leaving and searched for a place to stay.

Blisters galore!

I can't hardly walk because of the blisters but there were no pain on both legs. Fatigued but not painful which means I still have a good fighting chance to finish the darn race. But the blisters will be a huge roadblock as it stings every time I walked. Hay.

We didn't had anytime to go around and find a place to eat so we ordered some cup noodles and ate it up with the remaining pieces of bread from the car. I was so hungry but I had no choice as I can barely walk that night.

Our room in Sta. Cruz, Zambales!

CJ recovering?!

One more leg to go and TIME will be our number challenge...

Last Day: Of Miracles and Recovery

Finally, it was the last day. It would be a night run so we still have some time to rest and recover. I checked my blisters and still they are tender :(. I decided to pop and drain them already to promote healing before the race.

While waiting for the evening:

- We had breakfast at the INPANTY carinderia. It is where I discovered there was such a thing as Fried Chick (micro chicken) and Microporkchop that looks like a mini-cassette tape!
- Lunch at Mang Inasal for the NTH time. We told the tricycle driver to bring us to Chowking at the town plaza and he brought us to Mang Inasal! ("Dito po ang Chowking ay Mang Inasal"). Sakit sa ulo!
- Popped and drained my blisters! It was still stingy but I had no choice
- Brought some coconut juice after Totoy took all my supply during day 2
- Watched BAGETS! (JC Bonnin in the house!)
- some other random things in the hotel...

5:30 pm when we left the hotel and went back to the starting line. We had a short dinner of barbeque and rice before meeting up with the rest of the runners. BR informed us that instead of 7 pm, the race will start at 8 pm for a cooler weather. Well, that's fine with us as I had more chance to talk to my fellow runners and ask them about their experiences (inggit ako kina Papi sa kanilang tinuluyan...)

With Michael De Me... Papi Jonel :))

A few of the runners waiting for the gunstart

With the lovebirds...

The hardcore ultramen and woman!

The last leg will be from Infanta, Pangasinan to Lucap, Pangasinan (57 km). The finish line would be at the light house near the port of the boats going to the Hundred Islands. It was a night run so I expect the cooler temperature to be at my advantage. Though the TIME BARRIER still worried me, 10 hours to complete a 57 km run after doing 145 km in the past 2 days seems to be overkill. Plus I'm bothered about the blisters on both feet, that was the first time I experienced such in my ultra career.

We were released at exactly 8 pm. Oh, BR warned us about the dogs. I was expecting that they were leashed, I was so wrong! As early as km 5, stray dogs flock the road slowing us down to shove them off and avoid being bitten! Darn, those pups from BR's past run did became BIGGER! :))

The weather was cold alright; up to a point where I was already shivering! But it helped me maintain a good pace during the first half of the race. I never felt the fatigue on my way to Dasol, Pangasinan. Though I noticed each time I stopped at the support vehicle, the pain on the blisters are damn excruciating! I have no choice but to continue with the pain because I really wanted to finish the race!

Km 18, we were greeted with the family of RJ KnightRunner. They gave us water and sweet saba while taking our picture. It was great hearing them cheer for us as we continue our run in the darkness (thanks RJ!).

RJ's parents

Dasol Aid station!

I noticed that the route, should it be done in the daytime, is comparable to the 2nd day in terms of elevation profile. There were a lot of uphells and downhells with random dog attacks! I was busy focusing on my pace that I was quite surprised that I still have the energy to run those inclines in the darkness. It was a miracle!

When I reached km 35, I can feel the fatigue creeping up on my legs. At that point, I caught up with Jorell which was speeding on the first half as well. Good thing I had someone to pace with and get rid of the boredom in the darkness. Though I had to stop at km 46 because the blisters are getting unbearable, I asked him to go ahead.

Jorell resting!

Wasak na!

Man, both feet was aching because of the swollen blisters. Runners were already passing by but I really need to solve the blister problem. I wiped my feet dry and remove the moistures from my socks. I taped them again to prevent from getting bigger before I regain my pacing. It was another miracle as I was able to completely recover and set a fast pace despite what happened earlier!

Reached Alaminos junction at around 1:30 am and from that point I decided to power walk to recover. I wanted a strong finish plus I saw that long incline going to Lucap. I had Harry stopped by at km 53 to refill my water and eat a few bites before telling him to proceed to the finish line. From that point, I sped up and sprinted towards the finish line.

Dogs were barking and the end is still far but I really wanted to finish the race. I was hitting 4:30 mpk according to my Garmin. It is quite astounding for someone who's suffering from blister pain and acquired almost 200K already for the past 3 days! I never slowed down as I saw the flash from cameras taking pictures at the finish line. Every step was like coming from a fresh set of legs and at exactly 3:10 am of November 4, 2012, I finished the inaugural WC 200 multi-staged ultra in the country!

At the finish line! (ang itim ko!)

Runners with their awesome support crews

Happy Ultrarunners! (mga siraulo!)

Team Powerpuff Boys (Alfie 2nd over-all, Reynalynne ladies champion
Totoy 6th place, Yours truly 9th place)

1st WC 200 Ultra Finishers!

Award!

I ranked 9th out of 29 finishers (33 starters) which is an added bonus to this awesome feat! :D My total time is 29:xx:xx hours, sweet!

Ang mga Ungasis!!!

It took me a while to accept that I finished the race already even a couple of days after. You can see the post of my fellow runners who obviously still had hang-over from the epic adventure. Next year, BR plans to have a single staged race of the same route with a 36-hour cut-off. I'm still contemplating about it but who knows my crazy instincts will bring me to the starting line!

Till my next adventure! (lintek na BDM 160 yan, kung anu-ano na ginagawa ko para lang ma-distract sa iyo!)

Special thanks to:
Harry for the awesome support and driver in this insanity
Judy, Lyra, Running photographers, Jorell, Carl for the pictures
Sir Jovie for creating insane events and proving that such crazy runners will accept his challenges
God for the guidance and protection of all runners throughout the race (Praise the Lord!)


Race details can be found here

Death By Ultra Summer Series 2012

Summer was supposed to be filled with a lot of time under the sun, swimming by the beach or taking a long vacation somewhere far from the city. But not for me. I chose to do something different last summer. And it's been a long plan since I've had a (^%*$@%;%^ DNF (Did Not Finish) last January which jumpstarted this idea. Yes folks, I did 3 ultra events for 3 consecutive weeks (dafuq?!).

Why the hell did I do it? First, I need to get stronger. My DNF in the previous BDM 160 was a mess that forever scarred my career. I want to release all of the frustrations by becoming stronger in the ultra distances.  It tick off a switch in my head that I need to train hard for me to be better next year!

Second, I want to prove that it is really doable. Dean Karnaze have done consecutive ultras for 45 days. I saw Papi Jonel did it when he was raising funds for the storm victims last year (4 consecutive weekends). Then why can't I? 3 ultras should be bearable if you use the right formula :)

Third, I just want to explore and enjoy summer. It's a weird way to spend one but I want to visit different places --- on foot!

Episode I: Bohol Ultramarathon (80K)

First stop would be the ultra from bohol. Organized by the Cebu Ultrarunning Club, the race will start from Panglao Beach and ends at the Chocolate Hills. It's my 2nd 50-miler race and also my first time to be in Bohol so I was really excited with this race. Also, Rodel Cuaton aka Argo will be joining here as part of his vacation.

The gunstart was exactly done at midnight. I have no idea on the total number of participants but I guess it's around 150++. The first part of the race was flat as we cruise thru the Panglao area towards the city. It was relatively flat and I was pacing with Raffy and Ambo during this time towards the darkness.

The rolling hills started as we approached the city proper (20+ km) then became flat as we head towards the Loboc area. We were running with the sea at our side though I was not able to appreciate it since it was really dark. I ran out of water as I approach km 42 so I really slowed down to conserve energy. Refilled at the aid station, I continued my run-walk strategy towards km 50 where a light breakfast was served.

I think km 50 is at the Loboc town proper if I'm not mistaken. From here, the road started to go uphells like the ones in Tanay only nastier. The sun had already peeked and the heat starts to rise. I have to conserve my energy for the last 50 km since the roads were all ascending. It was tough because I felt fatigued already though I knew I need to sustain my pace. And so I did a lot of walking...

I was actually refreshed when I reached the man-made forest (around km 61-63). It was actually cool and refreshing! Plus I was so awed and amazed on the work they did to establish such a place. It was a bit dark since the trees covered the forest floor and the fresh air was really revitalizing! Too bad I only had a short time in that place as I continued my journey to finish the race.

The last 10 km was a killer! It was flat and hot already! I can feel the pain in my feet! Though I was saved by the aid station that the UNGO running club had set-up. If only I was not chasing after the time, I would had stayed a little longer and enjoyed a sip of Tuba (coconut wine) with matching pulutans! :))

As I approach Carmen, I saw the legendary hills that I only see in postcards and pictures. It was stunning! It made me picked up a decent pace to jog the last few meters of the race. Turned-right towards the viewing deck, the last 300-400 meters were SHOTGUN-level ascend but since I know I'm near the finish line, I ran. After a few minutes I finally nailed the first leg!

We had a big lunch at the finish line before we headed out to a buffet dinner at the Loboc River (waited for Jumbo Argo to arrive at the finish line). I observed my legs and noticed that though I had soreness around the calf area and pain in the ball of my foot, I'm still strong.

That's good news because I only had roughly 6 days to recover for the insane 2nd leg...

(to be continued)

Episode II: Four Lakes 100 km Trail Ultra

Exactly 5 days after that escapade in Bohol, I started my journey up north to run my first 100K Trail Ultra. The Four Lakes 100 km Trail Ultramarathon is a signature route of our beloved Michael De Mesa Jonel Mendoza in the settings of Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya. I've done the 42K Trail Marathon here last April 1 (the April fool's marathon) so I'm quite familiar with some parts of the route plus I did enjoy the scenery and challenges this route has to offer.

We had a 6 hours trip to Baguio and 3.5 hours trip down to the municipal hall of Kayapa. We were greeted by the usual suspects (I was looking for BR) and a few new faces. A briefing was conducted shortly then a usual photo ops before we proceeded to the inn (the same inn where we stayed before). We had an early dinner of pansit, fried chicken and tons of extra rice (carbo loading) before we went to our room to rest and sleep.

We woke up at exactly 230 am. I prepared my stuff already and drop bags the night before. I took the freezing water bath (#&$*#&$% ginaw!!!) to refresh myself before I wore my gear. At the starting line, a short ceremony was done and we were released at exactly 4:30 am.

The first 24 kms was the same route as the marathon before. Though this time I had brought a trekking pole to aid me in the uphells and had to start slower to conserve the energy for the rest of the race. The route is still beautiful; now there were no dense fog and the sun is actually shining brightly. The mountainside is very beautiful and you can see some of the peaks peeking like islands on a sea of fog :).

I reached the baseline of Ugo in 3 hours. Same elevation, same #&*$*%&$ difficulty of climb. Upon reaching the summit, I asked the marshall to take my picture before heading down towards the Old Spanish Trail. This route is quite interesting because it was really narrow (single track) and one wrong step will send you rolling down the steep mountainside. I had a few close call because I was always checking my pace and time; thankfully I didn't fall or had a major accident.

At the end of the trail is a steep downhill where some of the marker flags were missing. I think we've lost 20 minutes here looking for the right path. Major Ron and Doc Toto had caught up with me here so I had some companions throughout the race.

Finally, we found the right trail! We ran towards the Kayapa Market Proper where the 3rd aid station and get our first drop bags. There was a feast of breads, eggs, hot noodle soup and even halo-halo to refuel. My good friend "Red Horse Runner" Rey Jimenez was the marshall in this station. I took some time to rest and eat up because we still have a long way to go before the next major aid station. Also, Rey warned us about the upcoming route: It's pure uphell!

At first I didn't pay any attention of what Rey mentioned. He must be kidding. But I took back my words, after the long hanging bridge, the #&$*%$&% route was a MAJOR UPHELL! No kidding! It's probably around 30-40 degrees incline of pure uphell. At this point, I can feel the cramps on my quads were already acting up. Since I'm with Major and Doc Toto, we agreed not to attack the hills and took time to reach the top.

That was the longest uphell of my life. Imagine, every 100 meters we have to rest and catch our breaths! Then we saw ate Che Bihag, cruising thru the uphills as if she was walking in a park! Life is so unfair! We were so chicked!

Anyway, it was good to know that the actual distance (5 km) was only 3 km before we reach a minor aid station. The Amelong Labeng Barangay hall served the sweetest sweet potatoes that I've ever tasted! We refilled our water bags here before heading towards the next landmark. It was actually around noon so it was a hot already.

Towards the next landmark, we have to traverse a wide dirt road. It was wide enough for a truck to pass thru though it was muddy. We call this trail as PAASA (paasa na sa susunod na liko, peak na!). It was a winding path where we felt like were circling the mountain! At this point, my cramps were becoming worst as it  attacks almost every 15 minutes. After a while, we were able to reach the summit. We were not really sure if there was a marshall at the actual cell site so we went near it just to found out that there are none. Better safe than sure!

I had applied some liniments on my quads and thighs already to recover from the cramps. It helped for a while as I was able to jog a couple of times going down the summit. I also remembered somewhere waiting for Major Ron to catch up with us so I had the liberty of lying down the grass fields to take some rest. It was actually funny because I almost dozed off to sleep :))

When Major arrived we continued our run-walk towards the highway. I had already consumed all of my water around 2-3 km away from the aid station so I was in panic mode. Damn, it was already hot and after a while, we were in the highway. We started to jog towards the Castillo Aid station (km 54) to refill and rest. I was already contemplating of downgrading to 60 km already at that point. The cramps and mental demon were too much but thanks to Doc Toto, he pushed me and did not let me quit. We took our time to rest and eat at that station. One by one, runners are popping out of the trail and joined us while we rest. A envy those who did 60K as they only had 6 km left and they will be done with their agony. After 20 minutes, we continued our trek towards the remaining part of the race...

The next landmark would be our first lake. And the inclines were again, killers! Why the hell would a lake be on top of a mountain #*$($*%#. I have no choice but to continue as we want to at least have a decent pictures while there is still some sunlight. It was a nice sight because a fog was on top of the Buaca lake. Talk about creepiness!

I noticed that the cramps were already gone and I think I'm on my way to recovery :). It was a good sign!

The second lake can be found at the bottom of a huge mountain wall. I swear it was so steep that one wrong move will make you tumble to your death. And a #&$*%(% kalabaw was blocking our way down! We managed to cross alive and trekked towards the Dayap school (which has #&*$&%$ incline again) which is km. 62. It was already dark so we wore our headlamps again and re-fueled big time!

The next landmark we need to cover would be the twin Nayao lakes which unfortunately we were not able to see since it was night already. The path was rocky and rolling, I swear it was the longest 12 km of my life! In between the route, we rested in a waiting shed for a few minutes while Doc Toto was recording a short video to document our experience.

There were sections in this route which is very creepy and you don't want to be stuck without lights. There were killer inclines, eroding edges and even a short river crossing. There was supposed to be a waterfall somewhere in the forest, we heard it but we can't see it because it was too dark. At the end of it is the Banaw school where Isko was waiting to serve us some hot soup, milo and iced tea! I was already too tired at this point and I requested him if I can doze off for a few minutes before heading out again. I did while being covered in a blanket near a fireplace! It was heaven for me as it helped me regain some energy. By the way, at this point, it was very very cold that we need to keep on moving to avoid freezing to death.

After 30 minutes, we started our journey back to the Dayap school. It was almost midnight and I was estimating what time should we be back in order to beat the cut-off. It was a long run - trek with us having short rests in between to recover. I even tripped on our way back since I stepped on a loose rock! I felt the wound in my knees and was scared that I was injured. I tried to walk to see if I was injured and after a few steps the pain went away. I'm too close to finishing this race to quit!

After 3.5 hours, we were back in the Dayap school. Again we re-fueled and refilled our water bags before we set out to the next aid station. It was rather a short run/walk when we reached the City border where I finally got my last drop bag which contains my secret weapon. It was the energy drink the yaya ambow gave me before I went to Kayapa. I took a few shots and gave doc some. I felt an energy rush so without further adieu, we started our way towards the mossy forest again. I swear I feel so refreshed after a while and I was able to climb that mossy forest in a very fast pace!

Last 8 km. We reached Bundao at exactly 630 am in the morning. The energy drink effect was slowly wearing away so we tried to jog it off a bit. A huge skin chaffing has built up in my thighs making it hard to run or even jog. I really just wanted to finish the race so I lived thru the pain and trekked the downhills. It was the same last part of the previous marathon so I know it was very near. I began counting down the remaining distance until the last 500 meters.

At last, after a grueling 29++ hours, I finally crossed that darn finish line! Man I cried when I finished because I can't believe how I survived that ordeal. I was even speechless in happiness and fulfillment. But what mattered most is I am done and I got that kick-ass running man medal! And that marked my first century trail ultramarathon.,

I have one more race scheduled and the last one is another hardcore trail route...

Episode III: Taklang Damulag 50K
(to be continued)

Epic Tips for an Epic Race

Your team signed-up for a grand adventure of a lifetime. But are you really ready? Here are some of my tips on how to survive the epic relay:

1. You are a team - Yes, you will run your individual legs but at the end of the day, it's a team race. Hence, be responsible with your teammates, try to extend help whenever they need you and cheer them up as they approach the exchange points :)
2. Distribute your strength across the legs - You have 3 legs to accomplish. If you push too much on the first leg, you might burn-out on the 2 other legs. Know when to conserve and do an all-out sprint :)
3. Bring something to entertain yourself - You have approximately 3-4 hours before your next run so better bring something to entertain yourself while wating
4. Powernap - SLEEP will be a luxury during the race so make sure you rest in between legs. It will help you recover as well :)
5. Extra clothes - the van will be really smelly after a few of your legs. Bring extra clothes to freshen you up on your next leg
6. OBEY THE RULES - As much as possible, PLEASE ABIDE by the RACE BIBLE. Penalties are costly especially if you're gunning for a personal best
7. Support Crew - They are very valuable especially when you are tired and low morale. Treat them right during the race and brief them properly regarding the do's and don'ts of the race.
8. Food - Food is scarce throughout the race so make sure you packed plenty before starting
9. Heat Training - part of the race is Bataan. And you've heard about the BDM right? The summer heat here is unbearable for runners so I advise you to really gear up for the heat. Douse yourself with water and bring a lot of hydration
10. Be very vigilant - last time there was a runner sideswiped during the race. Do the BR rule of running against traffic and be extra careful especially at night. DOGS will be all-over the 2nd leg of the race :(
11. Document everything - Bring cameras! Take a lot of pictures and videos. Minsan lang to. If you can share it via a blog, do it! Immortalize your experience! :)
12. Thank God - At the end of the race, offer a short prayer to the Lord and thank Him for this opportunity to do an EPIC adventure!

Tomorrow will be a big day for all of us running through Bataan, Zambales and Subic!  Good luck to all the teams and remember to have FUN! :D

 See you at the starting line.